City clerk resignation to be voted on at Jan. 21 meeting

MORRIS – City Clerk John Enger’s resignation letter was read to the Morris City Council on Monday, but will not be officially accepted until the next regular meeting Jan. 21.

At the end of the meeting, Morris Mayor Richard Kopczick read Enger’s letter to the council. But it was not on the agenda so it could not be voted on. The next council meeting will be on a Tuesday because of the Monday before being a holiday.

“Personally and publicly, I want thank you for all you’ve done for this community,” Kopczick said to Enger.

Enger, who has worked for the city in multiple rolls for 37 years, said in his letter his resignation will be effective at the end of the day Feb. 3. He said it was time for him to retire because of his ongoing health issues. In spring 2013, Enger was out of work for several months because of illness, but returned in the fall.

Enger first started with the city in 1977 as the city treasurer, which he held until the spring of 1981 when he was elected as Third Ward alderman. His first term as alderman ended in 1985 at which time he was re-elected. But after about two years, he resigned to become city clerk in 1987.

“I pride myself on winning 10 straight elections and I worked under five mayors,” Enger said Friday, when he announced his retirement.

After the meeting Monday, Alderman Bill Martin, who also is the Finance and Administration Committee chairman, said Enger was an asset to the city.

“With my job as an alderman and chairman of finance, it was easier because of his abundance of knowledge in regards to the budget and it has been a pleasure to work with him,” Martin said.

Kopczick also closed the meeting with a moment of silence for former alderman and mayor Don Barkley who died Dec. 17.

In other business, the city council approved a lot split request for 1004 Fremont Ave.

Darla Roe, owns the lot at the corners of Fremont, Shabbona and Hoge Streets, and asked to have the existing 14,800-square-foot lot split in to two single-family lots of 7,400 square feet each. Bill Roe was present at the meeting for the request.

The lot currently has one home on it. Bill Roe told the Planning Commission previously they would like to split the lot in two and eventually build another home on the property.

The whole lot is in Residential-2 zoning, and the two separated lots will continue to be R-2. The approval requires the future new construction to have its driveway off of Hoge Street.

The council approved the lot split unanimously with Alderman Brian Feeney absent.